World Cup final prediction: Chris Sutton predicts Argentina v France

France are not the lone ones going for back-to-back triumphs connected Sunday - if Les Bleus bushed Argentina, BBC shot adept Chris Sutton volition person successfully picked the victor of 2 successive World Cups.

Sutton is predicting the result of each crippled successful Qatar, and became a TV prima successful Japan erstwhile helium correctly called the Blue Samurai's daze triumph implicit Germany successful the radical signifier - sharing his personage presumption with a Tokyo otter called Taiyo, who besides got that 1 right.

Sutton was close again erstwhile helium backed Argentina to get done their semi-final, and was besides spot connected erstwhile helium said France would articulation them successful the final.

He picked the victor successful 2 of the 4 quarter-finals - getting the nonstop people successful Morocco's triumph implicit Portugal and France's triumph against England - and from 5 of the 8 last-16 ties.

He has an wide occurrence complaint of 56% for the tournament, aft helium chose the close result successful 26 of the 48 radical games.

Before the World Cup started, Sutton chose 12 of the 16 teams that progressed to the archetypal knockout stage, including England, who helium correctly said would spell arsenic acold arsenic the past eight.

Sutton's third-place play-off and World Cup last predictions

Argentina v France (Lusail Iconic Stadium, 15:00)

France are rather a baffling broadside successful that I ticker them with precocious expectations but americium ever near a spot bored, and reasoning determination indispensable beryllium much to come.

The holders are efficient, alternatively than exciting, and astatine the infinitesimal they punctual maine of a Citroen cruising on an aged autoroute. They've got a mates of gears near to find, but they mightiness good get each the mode to their destination without utilizing them.

We'd each emotion England to beryllium effectual similar that, of course, and for america to beryllium winning World Cups by uncovering a mode and without a batch of fuss.

I deliberation the French nationalist would similar them to play similar Manchester City oregon Spain - well, possibly Spain successful presumption of possession but besides taking immoderate shots astatine extremity - and predominate games, winning with flair and doing it successful style.

But their manager Didier Deschamps is pragmatic and is not bothered what radical think. They were labelled bland 4 years agone too, but they ended up satellite champions.

Instead of trying to support the ball, France don't look to privation it astatine at all. Morocco had 23% of possession successful their triumph implicit Spain, but managed 61% against the French.

France don't play free-flowing football, alternatively they transportation the shot guardant rapidly and prime their moments - and, with idiosyncratic similar Kylian Mbappe successful the team, they tin beryllium devastating successful those moments.

Mbappe has lone performed successful fits and starts but that has been enough. Olivier Giroud has been a revelation and Antoine Griezmann has linked everything up.

It has worked truthful far, truthful they are hardly going to alteration now, are they?

Messi and Mbappe are the men for the large moments

Argentina are the aforesaid successful that they don't attraction astir having the ball, but are a squad powered by emotion alternatively than ratio - and Messi's tourney has besides been astir moments, conscionable similar Mbappe's has been for France.

After losing their archetypal crippled of the tourney against Saudi Arabia, they person been nether unit ever since.

They person handled that well, and besides the expectations of their supporters - that has proved excessively overmuch for them successful the past but, here, their fans person lifted the squad with their outstanding backing and they volition outnumber France successful the last too.

From watching them truthful far, I deliberation they volition effort to enactment successful the crippled aboriginal connected and past hold for the spaces to unfastened up for Messi, which is erstwhile helium has go prominent. Julian Alvarez has been superb and volition beryllium a menace with his runs down the defence but, overall, France inactive person much firepower.

A last for the purist?

I person got a brushed spot for Argentina, and not conscionable due to the fact that of Messi, but with regards to my prediction, I americium going to accidental France volition triumph due to the fact that I person backed them since earlier this World Cup started.

In presumption of however they volition triumph it, I would emotion to accidental this volition beryllium a last for the purist wherever determination is beauteous shot from some sides, but I fishy it volition really beryllium a stop-start game, decided by moments of idiosyncratic brilliance.

A batch could beryllium connected Polish referee Szymon Marciniak and however paper blessed helium is, though.

I've watched Argentina a batch and thought a sterner ref could person punished them with much cards successful immoderate of their games due to the fact that their players look to beryllium connected the borderline a batch of the time.

So, I would not beryllium amazed if we spot a mates of reddish cards, particularly if Argentina autumn behind. I emotion watching them due to the fact that of however passionate they are, but they volition combat and scrap to triumph astatine immoderate cost.

I was determination successful Kazan erstwhile they gave Mbappe immoderate unsmooth attraction arsenic France bushed them successful the past 16 successful 2018, and determination volition beryllium much of that this time, I americium sure.

Argentina's players are warring for their jersey, warring for their fans and warring for Messi, to nonstop him retired connected a high. They volition person to power themselves and harness their aggression, and I americium not convinced they will.

We could spot immoderate acheronian arts from some sides due to the fact that France are not acrophobic of a carnal conflict and, if Argentina bash lose, they won't spell quietly.

Sutton's prediction: 1-3

All Sutton's World Cup knockout rounds predictions

Semi-finals

Quarter-finals

Last 16

*After other time

** Switzerland to triumph connected penalties

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